Burn after Reading

September 12, 2008

Jays Rating:
Actors: /
Director: / /

After winning the Academy Award for No Country for Old Men, Joel and Ethan Coen don’t miss a beat in the comedy, Burn after Reading. In this quirky spy story, fitness instructors Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) and Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) find a computer disc at the gym where they work filled with the memoirs of a C.I.A. agent. The CD belonged to Osborne “Ozzy” Cox (John Malkovich) who had just been fired from the C.I.A. because of excessive drinking and is writing a book for extra money. (In fact, he explains to a fellow CIA agent who tells him he drinks too much” compared to you, everyone drinks too much; you’re a Mormon.) Linda is trying to save money for several plastic surgeries so she can look good and she talks Chad into blackmailing Ozzy. In the meantime, Ozzy’s wife Katie (Tilda Swinton) is sleeping with a Federal Marshall she met on the internet named Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney). While all of this is going on, the C.I.A. is in the background watching as everything that can go wrong – does. Although this film is funny, it’s also violent and has a dark streak through it. The script was specifically written with this particular ensemble cast in mind and they shine. With the Coen brothers at the helm and the outstanding cast not much can go wrong. One of the smallest roles is that of a C.I. A superior played by J. K. Simmons who sums up the film with the line, “Nothing really happens.” With a creative story and outstanding acting I have to agree and explain it like this: If I had driven a car to the theater, it would have been a wild and entertaining ride for my wife – even if I didn’t hit anything. Besides the language being a little harsh (totally gratuitous) I enjoyed this film and I give it a B rating.

This movie has been given a R rating by the MPAA

Although I am blind, I can appreciate a good movie as well as sighted individuals.
I rely more on a good story line than special effects.